[topman91]

Im 19 years old, I was raised by my mum and step father, they gave me an amazing childhood, then I moved in with my grandmother because of family problems, at this age I was 13. I began high school, I wasn't very popular, I didn't have many friends, and getting bullied was day to day for me, the bullying got that bad in school I was forced to transfer after two years of being there. However when I turned 16 I started college with no confidence, no friends and I just realised that I was gay. Proud of who I was, I went on to start college where I made many many amazing close friends who gave me the confidence to come out, fight back and keep my chin high. I am now 19, had so much hurt through school and my confidence, Ive known since I was 13 I wasn't meant for education or a small town, recently I came home from college close to tears, and my grandmother realised and she has offered me money to just up and leave for one month and go to a city in a road and a bid for full self discovery, and to live with my sister, and if I enjoy my life in a city I can move. At this point I was almost in tears, I walked out of the room as I don't show emotion and I never tell anyone how I feel. I recently decided to myself I need to go, I need to force myself, but Im so scared, Im so scared that I will loose everything like I did in high school, Im afraid of losing all those close friends, and losing connections with family. It haunts me to think I could end up alone even though for the past five months Ive felt sad, alone and miserable, where I live I get daily homophobic abuse, followed or even spat at in the street for choosing who I wanted to be, the way I dressed and the way I spoke.

.. Is it time I put the awful taunts behind me, and followed my dreams of a city life?

[shazamataz]

In this day and age it is easy to keep in contact with friends and family when you live far away.
Some of my best friends live half way across the world and we still chat on a daily basis thanks to skype.

Bottom line is if you aren't happy where you are then go.
Small towns can be hard on people who are gay, everyone knows everyone's business. In the big city people tend to be more forgiving and you tend to find a lot more like minded people than you would somewhere with a small population.

Only you can make the final decision but in my opinion you need to follow your heart.

[mathewcostin]

Dude, from one gay country boy to another - go for it.
Feel for what your true passions are, start engaging in them - and my belief is that God will attract you to the perfect location for yoh, and possibly your soulmate too, which'd be sweet no?